Genoa on Roller Furl vs. Standard Jib

[Pacman]

Regarding sailing a C-16 during a blow:

If the wind picks up to a point where it is difficult to control the boat, heaving to is another option.

Heaving to will "park" the boat in very strong wind so you can sit comfortably until the squall passes.

Unlike many larger swing keel boats, the C-16 does this very nicely.

[skip1930]

OK, you beat me.
Fuler them in to reduse sail area and not be over powered.

skip.

[Tadpole]

Pacman:  Enjoyed your comments about heaving to in a Compac 16.  Since the 16 is on my eventual wish-list, I wondered how well she would heave to. 

Since I single-hand most of the time, heaving to gives me a chance to grab something from the cabin, or just relax and enjoy a quick lunch without dropping the hook.  As you mentioned, it's a great heavy weather tactic as well.  I've had boats that didn't heave to worth a darn...glad to hear the 16 does just fine

Unfortunately I can't add anything to the roller vs std jib thread... I've never had a boat with a roller furling jib.  I've  put jib downhauls on all my boats though. 

I'm certainly learning a lot from the messages here, so keep up the cheery banter.

Tadpole

[Pacman]

I have had several bad experiences with roller furling on charter boats in the Carribean so I am not a fan. 

I will never have roller furling because, in my limited experience with them, they work well in light air. 

They save the effort of hoisting a hank-on sail, but they can fail when you need them to work to reduce sail area in a blow.

I prefer a simple, fool-proof, jib downhaul to douse the jib when necessary.

A simple jib downhaul will work every time without fail in the worst of conditions when you need to reduce sail.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned but I will never have roller furling on any boat I own.

I love my simple, fool-proof, downhaul.  It works immediately, every time, in the worst of conditions, and no one has to go up onto the foredeck.

Others may have diifferent opinions based on their own experience but, based on my experience, I will never have roller furling on any boat.

Others may have different opinions based on their experience.

[Billy]

Packman,
Your comments about furlers are even mo true when you add one to the main. You can always luff a jib, but not a main.